This invention relates generally to cooking vessels and more particularly to cooking vessels in which food is boiled in water.
One type of cooking apparatus often used by persons at a dining table is known as a Mongolian pot. The pot is filled with water which is brought to a vigorous boil by applying massive amounts of heat. Thereafter prepared raw food is placed in the boiling water and cooked.
Heretofore known Mongolian pots are configured so that the pot surrounds a container filled with charcoal. The charcoal is burned to provide the massive heating of the pot. In use, charcoal has the disadvantage that smoke and ashes from the burning charcoal are dirty and unpleasant. In addition, the heat is difficult to control. Burning charcoal in the container produces very hot spots on the walls, particularly above the upper surface of the charcoal. Consequently, heating of the water and food in the pot is not uniform. A particular problem is that the food being cooked often sticks to the walls of the pot at the hot spots produced by the burning charcoal, with consequent charring of the food particles.